Raise the Hammer

Elderly Cyclist Hospitalized After Collision on Osler Drive

Hamilton Police report that an 80-year-old male cyclist is in hospital with "serious, life-threatening injuries" following a collision with an automobile. The collision took place on Osler Drive in Dundas at 11:18 AM on Monday, July 8.

Police are still investigating. Anyone who has information is asked to contact Detective-Constable Hendrik Vandercraats at 905-546-4755 or Detective-Constable Wes Wilson at 905-546-4753.

Senior citizens are among the most vulnerable road users, especially when they are attempting to walk and cycle on city streets. They are disproportionately over-represented in collisions, injuries and deaths.

Complete Streets for Vulnerable Road Users

Last year, the Ontario Coroner issued reports on cyclists and pedestrians and in both cases recommended that cities and the Province adopt a "complete streets" approach to create public spaces that are safe and accommodating to everyone.

From the Cycling report:

A "complete streets" approach should be adopted to guide the redevelopment of existing communities and the creation of new communities throughout Ontario. Such an approach would require that any (re-)development give consideration to enhancing safety for all road users, and should include:

*Creation of cycling networks (incorporating strategies such as connected cycling lanes, separated bike lanes, bike paths and other models appropriate to the community.)
* Designation of community safety zones in residential areas, with reduced posted maximum speeds and increased fines for speeding.

From the Pedestrian report:

Ontarians not only need to walk, they need to walk safely. To do so, they need safe walking spaces. It is believed that with high quality engineered design, universal accessibility and a dedication to safety where pedestrians are of paramount importance, it will be possible to decrease pedestrian deaths.

In Hamilton, where the idea of streets for everyone has been slow to catch on, senior citizens continue to be disproportionately represented in collisions, injuries and deaths. Last December, an 87-year-old woman was killed crossing Governor's Road at Overfield, a site where hundreds of residents had previously signed a petition asking for a crosswalk.

Just last month, an 83-year-old died from her injuries sustained in a collision with an automobile at Upper Gage and Mohawk.

As the Ontario Coroner reminds us, these are preventable deaths. If we designed our streets to be safe and accommodating to all users - pedestrians, cyclists, transit users and motorists, from young children to elderly seniors - they would be safer and healthier for everyone.

Ryan McGreal, the editor of Raise the Hammer, lives in Hamilton with his family and works as a programmer, writer and consultant. Ryan volunteers with Hamilton Light Rail, a citizen group dedicated to bringing light rail transit to Hamilton. Ryan writes a city affairs column in Hamilton Magazine, and several of his articles have been published in the Hamilton Spectator. He also maintains a personal website, has been known to share passing thoughts on Twitter and Facebook, and posts the occasional cat photo on Instagram.

17 Comments

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Don't be so old-fashioned Ryan. The integrating seniors into the community is so last-century. The modern approach is to build an insular rural retirement compound where they will retire and never interact with the outside world except during visits from family and voting day.

By highwater (registered) | Posted July 09, 2013 at 12:07:58
in reply to Comment 90081

Even then they bring the polling station to the compound, so apart from their families they're never seen again, thank God. If they are out and about in our communities, the empathy police will force us to make accommodations in our public spaces to be more inclusive, which involves change, which as you know is always bad.

An 80-year-old man is in hospital with life-threatening injuries after a crash involving a car Monday.

Emergency crews were called to Osler Drive near Hillside Avenue in Dundas just before 11:30 a.m.

Police said the senior, was riding his bike in the westbound curb lane down the hill, somehow came in contact with a 2012 Lexus, also driven by an 80-year-old man. It is not clear who side-swiped who.

"We're still trying to determine what took place and if there was a lane change or something on the cyclist's part," said Detective Constable Wes Wilson, who is leading the collision-reconstruction investigation.

That street is a disaster. Having walked along Osler Drive a number of times, I found even the pedestrian experience somewhat unsettling, since the sidewalk is very narrow and there is no barrier.

For others who might contemplate cycling on that section of the road, I would suggest a safer alternative. Use the Hamilton to Brantford Rail Trail which runs roughly parallel to Main St. and Osler Drive. You can get onto it at Ewen Road, Main St. West where it swings south towards Ancaster, University Plaza and Old Ancaster Road.